AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Record-setting low temperatures and snow are on their way to Texas this weekend, and the bitter cold has already been causing problems on roads across the state. That includes a deadly 130-car pileup in Fort Worth and a 26-car pileup in Austin Thursday.
Grocery stores are preparing for possible shipment delays. H-E-B has already experienced problems due to the cold this week.
“We did experience brief transportation delays due to the inclement weather conditions. In order to provide safe conditions for our drivers, delivery schedules were adjusted but product is still being delivered to our stores today and throughout the weekend,” an H-E-B spokesperson said Friday.
The Central Texas-based chain said they’ve been preparing for this weather event before the weather hit.
“We also shipped increased loads to ensure product is available for our customers should we encounter additional challenges due to inclement weather,” the H-E-B spokesperson added.
United Supermarkets, headquartered in Lubbock, also noticed some delays. Spokesperson Cash Egan said Friday they had eight delivery trucks stranded in Junction, Texas due to road conditions.
But, their stores have been preparing, and Eagan said they had more delivery orders placed ahead of this weekend than on Thanksgiving or Christmas, which is usually their busiest time of year.
“We’re trying to front-load everything just into anticipating that kind of happening,” Tim Farrar, director of United’s Abilene store, said Friday.
But the impact of the storm isn’t limited to our food supply.
Thursday, the Texas Department of State Health Services said to expect vaccine delays at the beginning of the week.
“Every time there are weather issues, it can disrupt the shipping supply line and so we do ask that providers keep that in mind as they are planning for next week’s shipments and appointments,” DSHS Associate Commissioner Imelda Garcia said.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management said it’s advising its mobile vaccine pilot program, which just expanded to five more counties Thursday, to listen to local direction as well.
TDEM is also developing plans to keep the State Operations Center staffed for 24 hours, if conditions get worse.